The Vancouver Whitecaps had plenty to celebrate back on March 17 when they won their first-ever MLS road game against Chivas USA. On Saturday the Caps make a return to visit to Carson, Calif., to face the same opponent.

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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps are returning to the scene of the club’s first Major League Soccer road victory.

Chivas USA might think the Whitecaps are returning to the scene of the crime.

The Whitecaps and Chivas USA clash Saturday in a Western Conference match at the Home Depot Center (7:30 p.m., Sportsnet Pacific, Team 1410), the same venue where the Vancouver side snatched a 1-0 victory a little less than four months ago.

The date was March 17. Thanks to a goal in the 68th minute, the Whitecaps escaped the Los Angeles suburb of Carson with three points, despite being badly outplayed.

Chivas had possession of the ball 64.6 per cent of the game; the Whitecaps had it for just 35.4 per cent. Chivas had 11 attempts on goal; the Whitecaps just six, and only two of those were on target.

But it only took one shot to decide the outcome.

Now, the two clubs meet again for just the second time this season.

Since that day, the Whitecaps and Chivas USA have gone in opposite directions in the conference standings.

As of Friday, the Whitecaps, with their record of eight wins, four losses and five draws, sat third in the West with 29 points. Chivas is 5-7-4 with 19 points and seventh in the conference. At home, Chivas is an anemic 2-6-1.

On paper, it looks as if the Whitecaps should be a lock to secure another road victory. But the game is played on the pitch, where predictability often ceases to exist.

“We respect them and know that they’re a very good team,” said Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie in a phone interview Friday.

“What they’ve not done in the past isn’t of any relevance to us. It’s all about what we do in this game and we know it will be like every other MLS game.”

The Whitecaps are coming off a 1-0 win against the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday. A work of art it was not, but that hardly matters.

The Vancouver side overcame sweltering heat, which has engulfed pretty much the entire U.S., the change in altitude and a tough opponent for the win, the club’s third away from BC Place.

“Obviously when you win on the road, it’s a big thing,” said Rennie. “It builds confidence and it builds team spirit.”

To date, the Whitecaps are 3-3-2 on the road. They are one of only four teams in the conference to have three or more road wins.

“There have been a few letdowns, but, as a general rule, we’ve competed well and picking up three wins to this point is a positive thing for us and something we just want to build on,” said Rennie.

Darren Mattocks scored the lone goal for the Whitecaps against Colorado. The talented 21-year-old striker, who was also charged with a yellow card in stoppage time, now has four goals in just eight games as a rookie with Vancouver. Unfortunately for the Caps, that late card means he will be suspended for Saturday's game.

However, most of the post-game chat was about the play of Scottish international Barry Robson, who made his Whitecaps debut. Rennie seemed impressed with Robson’s performance, as the 33-year-old midfielder and the Whitecaps newest designated player started the match and played a total of 57 minutes, after almost three months off.

“Normally, guys have two or three weeks of pre-season games before they have to play in a game like that,” said Rennie.

The coach added he would take Friday night to decide what, if any, changes he’ll make to the roster, which includes how he will handle Robson’s playing time.

“Anybody who knows soccer knows it takes a little bit of time to get up-to-speed and he’s right on track.”

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